


Afraid Of The Dark

by ThatYellowFinch



Category: Ever After High, Monster High
Genre: Crossover, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-04-29 19:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5138993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatYellowFinch/pseuds/ThatYellowFinch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twyla's life has never been straight forward. With strange powers she doesn't fully understand yet and feelings for her best friend, life can be really hectic. Things only start getting worse when someone from another world starts taking particular interest in her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

          The creepateria was noisier than Twyla remembered. A summer away would do that she supposed. She sat in the corner, unnoticed by a majority of the student body, scanning the crowd for her friend. She noticed her the moment she walked in, her bright pink hair catching her eye rather quickly. She got up and went to join her friend, a gnawing feeling in her gut as she did. She pushed the feeling away, reminding herself that this wasn’t a big deal. This was just another first day of school, just one that had the potential of changing everything; possibly for the worse.

          “Hey Twyla.” Howleen greeted her as she continued to walk towards the breakfast line, Twyla falling into step behind her. “I’m starving, Clawd ate all the biscuits this morning.” She hadn’t even noticed Twyla’s anxiety yet, a blessing as far as Twyla was concerned.

          “Howleen, can I talk to you for a minute?” She asked, chest tensing up as she did. This was a mistake. She should just forget about it. She should bring this up now, or ever.

          “Yeah, sure Twyla, let me just grab some food first.”

          Before Twyla could stop herself, she started pushing the train wreck further towards it’s destination. “Now, Howleen. It can’t wait.”

          Howleen looked back at her friend now, seeing for the first time the nervous look in her lavender eyes. “Alright then, if it’s that important.” Howleen stepped out of the line of students and followed her friend out of the creepateria. “What’s going on, Twyla?”

          Twyla started to wonder when the air had gotten to warm, why her mouth was suddenly dry. She took a deep breath in, there was no turning back now, no matter how much she did or did not want to. “I was wondering if you wanted to go to Cleo’s party...together?”

          “Oh sure, and here I thought it’d be something serious.”

          “I...I don’t think you understand.”

          “Well it’s not like either of us could get dates before the party, so going with a friend would be cool.”

          “No, Howleen, I didn’-...I didn’t mean as just friends.”

          “Well what else did you mean?” Howleen frowned, and Twyla couldn’t tell if it was just confusion or nervousness.

          This was bad. No no no. This was too much. This was a mistake. She had to fix this, before her friendship with Howleen was ruined. This would drive her away for sure, she couldn’t do that. Howleen was her best and closest friend. “You know what? Nevermind, just forget it.” She shook her head.

          “No, Twyla, I wanna know.”

          “I said forget it.”

          “Twyla!”

          “I said forget!” Twyla shouted suddenly, wanting the conversation to be over. For a moment Twyla looked surprised and then slowly her expression changed to vague confusion.

          “Wait, what were we just talkin’ about?”

          Twyla frowned. “You don’t remember?”

          Howleen thought for a moment. “Nope, don’t remember a thing.”

          “Right…” Twyla trailed off, trying to think of what could cause this before quickly realizing she was going to have to cover up the sudden gap in her memory. “Oh, uh, I was just asking about Cleo’s party this weekend. Wondering if you were going.” It was then she realized the vial that had appeared in her hand, she closed her fist around it, planning to investigate it after Howleen left.

          “Oh sure, you wanna come along?”

          “That’d be nice.” Tywla nodded.

          “Nice, I’ll meet you there!” Howleen smiled as the bell rung. “Oh shoot!” She groaned. “I missed breakfast! Oh well, I’ll just get something from a vending machine on my way to class. Catch you at lunch time Twyla!” And with that she jogged off to her first class.

          With her friend gone Twyla looked down at the vial in her palm and frowned at the swirling hot pink dust that glowed inside. Something was wrong. Did she actually take Howleen's memory? How was she even capable of that? If anyone on the planet knew it'd be her father. The Boogieman.

 

* * *

 

 

          The library of the Boogie-mansion was larger than even the one at school, dust and cobwebs layered over the books on most of the shelves, including the one Twyla stood in front of, skimming over the leather bindings of the books until she got to the only one free of dust and pulled it out, rushing over to the nearby desk and throwing it open. In the middle of the page she opened to was the outline of a palm in dark violet ink. She placed her hand over it, carefully lining her fingers up with the ones on the page.

          “Dad! I need to talk to you!” She called out to the space around her. After a moment of nothing happening she pushed her hand harder into the page. “Now!” She asserted.

          Dust and shadows around the room started swirling towards the center as a black goopy substance raised up from the floor boards, creating the form of a person until finally a man materialized, colors and features forming as the black goo absorbed into him. There was no question who this man was. From his pale blue skin to his lavender eyes, it was obvious this was Twyla’s father. He stood tall, in a fine cut suit with a silver spider tie clip. He looked at Twyla with fondness, despite his imposing posture. “I have an iCoffin for a reason, Twyla.”

          “You never respond to your iCoffin.” She sighed, closing the book and stuffing it back onto the shelf. “Your book is the only way I can get a hold of you.”

          “So, how was the first day?” He asked, leaning against a nearby bookshelf.

          “Not good.” She confessed, digging into her pocket for the vial. She held it up for her father to see, the hot pink dust still glowing like a star in the night sky.

          “Oh.” Her father frowned. “And how did this happen?”

          Twyla didn’t want to tell the whole story, of how she had been afraid to tell Howleen the truth. How Howleen seemed to be afraid to learn it. “I...I was telling Howleen something that I didn’t want to tell her. When she started looking nervous about it I told her to forget and...she did.”

          Her father sighed, pushing off the bookshelf to stand up straight and walk over to his daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s nothing to worry about, Twyla. You just took her fear and with it her memories.”

          “What? No! That’s not ok! I have to fix this!” Twyla started to panic. If Howleen found out that Twyla had used her powers on her, who knew what would happen. “I didn’t even know I could do this, Dad!”

          “Calm down, ok? You’re fine. It’s just your boogieman powers coming in.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “I know you’re scared, this is something new that you need to learn to control but it’s alright. I’m here to help.”

          “It’s not just the powers, Dad. It’s what was scaring her.” She looked down at the vial. “I was going to tell her that I wanted to go on a date.” Her dad already knew this about Twyla, she wasn’t afraid of talking about it around him. That helped.

          “And she was scared?” Her dad waited for Twyla to nod before giving a soft chuckle. “Fear can be caused by several different things, Twyla. It doesn’t mean she’s going to hate you if you ask her. Change is scary, and the question you were going to ask her could change a lot of things. If Howleen is truly as special as you’ve told me she is then she will understand. Even if she doesn’t want the same sort of relationship you want she won’t hate you for it.” He took her hand and gently closed it around the vial. “To return her memory just be close to her and open the vial. The dust will find it’s own way home.” He gave her a reassuring smile, patting her shoulder. “It’ll be ok.”


	2. Chapter 2

          “Just open the vial and the dust will find it’s own way.” She repeated to herself, vial in hand. She had hidden herself rather poorly around the corner from Howleen’s locker. It was just before first bell, Howleen would be at her locker, grabbing her binder for Biteology class. Twyla hoped this would be close enough for the memory to find its way home. She peaked around the corner, spotting her friend, chatting away with her sister.

          Twyla took a deep breath and uncorked the vial. The effect was instantaneous, the vial dissolving from her hand and the dust flying around the corner. Twyla froze for a moment, considering just turning the corner and facing Howleen. Her instincts told her to run, but she was never able to stay hidden from Howleen, she always managed to find her eventually. With another deep breath she stepped to turn the corner and came nose to nose with her friend.

          “We need to talk, Twyla.” Before Twyla could say anything Howleen grabbed her by the hand and started pulling her down the hall and up the stairs to the roof, completely ignoring the bell as it signalled the starting of their classes.

          “Howleen, maybe we should wai-”

          “Nu-uh, this can’t wait.” Howleen demanded, pulling her along with her. When they reached the roof she quickly let go of Twyla’s hand and spun around to face her. Twyla watched her face for any signs of anger, fear, confusion, but all she found was a hint of uncertainty. That didn’t make her feel any better. “I-uh...I remembered what happened yesterday.”

          “Howleen, I can explain. I didn’t mean to take your memory. I didn’t even know I could do that. And as for Cleo’s party you don’t have to go with me. I would really like you to but I understand if-” Her nervous ramblings were cut short as Howleen stepped forward and planted a kiss on her. Twyla’s eyes were wide as she pulled away, watching Howleen in disbelief.

          For a moment Howleen was silent, like she was trying process what had just happened, and then she smiled and Twyla could feel a weight lift off of her chest. “I’ll go to Cleo’s party with you, Twyla.”

          “Wait, you decided that quickly? I thought you’d be angry with me.”

          “Oh don’t get me wrong. I’m a little miffed about you taking my memories yesterday before I could give you my answer. But that doesn’t change what my answer was going to be.”

          “You were going to say yes?”

          “Uh, duh, Twyla!” Howleen rolled her eyes like it was supposed to be obvious. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask me out since like, fur-ever!”

          “But you seemed afraid when I asked you yesterday.”

          “I was a little,” Howleen shrugged. “I wasn’t sure if I was understanding you right and if you weren’t clearing things up so that didn’t help.”

          “Sorry…”

          “Well it’s ok now. But maybe next time you should talk things over with me before zapping my memory away. I didn’t even know if you could do that!”

          “Neither did I. According to my father it’s just another boogieman thing to look forward to.” She shrugged.

          “Wicked. That will certainly be helpful.”

          Twyla looked uncertain, folding her arms over her chest. “I’m not really eager to use it too often. Just doesn’t seem right. People and Monsters should work through their fears, not just forget them, it’s how they grow.”

          “I don’t know, there’s some things I’d rather just forget.”

          Twyla could guess a few of the things Howleen was talking about. She hoped she wouldn’t ask her to take them away. “We should get to class, don’t you think?” Twyla asked awkwardly after a moment of silence.

          “Oh right, I forgot we’re still at school.” Howleen moved to open the door leading back to the staircase but paused for a moment to kiss Twyla’s cheek. “I’ll see you at lunch.” She said before pulling the door open and heading down the stairs.

          Twyla seemed dazed for a moment, hand going to her cheek as she tried to process their conversation. Howleen wasn’t scared, in fact she seemed happy. She seemed genuinely happy to be with her in this way. Her cheek was still warm from the kiss. It made her smile.

* * *

          Twyla could have been walking on clouds for the rest of the day. Her smile had yet to leave her face by the time she got home. This was the first time she was looking forward to going to a party like this, she wanted the weekend to be here already.

          She reached her room and flopped onto her bed, book bag falling to the wooden floor with a thud. Dustin hopped up from underneath the bed and onto her stomach, nudging her hand in looks of pets, only laying his head down when she began scratching his back. This day had turned out a lot better than she was expecting and she wasn’t sure anything could ruin this day.

          A noise came from down the hallway causing Dustin to look up, his ears pulling back as he burrowed himself under Twyla’s covers. Twyla sat up, staring at the door. The Boogie-mansion often made strange noises, but she knew which noises were just the mansion and what noises she should be worried about. She had never heard this noise before, it was like a song, soft and melancholic. She went to stand, to investigate, wanting to be sure her house was safe.

          Down the stairs and across the hall was a room with a painted violet door. Twyla had explored nearly every room in the mansion in her childhood. Except this one. This was the room her father kept all his darkest nightmares and most dangerous artifacts. If something in there was making this song then she shouldn’t go investigating. And yet, she felt the need to. Something was wrong. She slowly opened the door, stepping onto the persian throw rug. A mirror loomed over most of the room, it’s black frame shimmering in the dim sunlight that filtered through the window.

          She stepped closer, surprised to find that the mirror didn't show her reflection. Something moved inside the mirror. A Shadow? Maybe her father had trapped a dangerous shadow inside. She moved to put her hand against the glass. It was warm and moved around her fingers like water. Without warning a hand burst forth from the surface, grabbing hold of her wrist and yanking her forward. with a scream Twyla was gone, the door to the artifact room still hanging open.


	3. Chapter 3

          Shadows and blue streaming light, Twyla scrambled to her feet and looked around at the translucent walls and the windows that seemed to lead everywhere. No. Not windows. Mirrors. She read about this before. The world that intersects between mirrors. Someone, or something, had pulled her through the mirror in her dad’s artifact room. She turned to the identical mirror behind her and pushed on the glass. Nothing. She wasn’t getting out that way.

          She turned back around, looking down the corridor. For the first time in her life, she feared what could be lurking in the shadows.

          “Don’t fear, my darling.” A voice, female and regal, came from the shadows as a woman materialized in front of her. “There is no one here but the two of us.” Her hair was black and purple and she wore a black dress with crystal pauldrons.

          “Who are you?” Twyla frowned, taking a step away.

          “I’m an old friend of your father’s, dear. I’m the Evil Queen.”

          Twyla raised an eyebrow at the title but didn’t question it. “Why have you brought me here?”

          “Because,” In the blink of an eye the Evil Queen was gone and reappeared behind Twyla, right between her and the mirror she had been pulled through. “You are going to help me get out of this wretched place.” She grabbed Twyla put the chin, guiding her to look over her shoulder and in the Evil Queen’s violet eyes.

          “And why would I do that?”

          “Because, child, if you don’t your werewolf will reap the consequences.” She waved her hand and a nearby mirror changed it’s image to Howleen sitting on her bed, chatting with someone on her iCoffin. And that was when Twyla noticed the heavy looking soccer trophy on the shelf above Howleen’s bed. It was moving, slowly but surely, toward the edge of the shelf. 

          “Wait!” Twyla cried and the trophy stopped. “Don’t hurt her.”

          “You’ll do as I say then?” The Evil Queen asked.

          Twyla took a moment, considering carefully and seriously before nodding. “Yes. Just don’t hurt Howleen.”

 

* * *

 

          Jane rushed through the hallways, Dustin in tucked safely into her bag. What the poor shaken up dust bunny had told her was most disturbing. She had to find Howleen, and fast. Who knew what kind of trouble Twyla was in. She skidded to a stop right before reaching Howleen. She was standing with her sister and their friends. Jane quickly did a headcount; Howleen, Clawdeen, Clawd, Cleo, Frankie, and Deuce. Six people. No, that was too big of a group. Jane knew she wouldn’t be able to handle them on her own, there were too many people. She could already feel the anxiety bubbling up in her chest.

          Dustin pushed his way out of Jane’s bag, jumping to the ground and hopping to Howleen.

          “Dustin?” Howleen frowned, leaning down to pick him up. “What’re you doing here? And where’s Twyla?”

          Jane frowned, taking a timid step closer to the group. “I...might be able to answer that.” She tried to push past her anxiety as all eyes turned to her. “Dustin came to me this morning very distraught. He told me Twyla was pulled into a mirror in her father’s artifact room. He thinks she might be in danger.”

          “Then we need to find that mirror!” Frankie said.

          “Right, let’s find one mirror in the Boogie-mansion. You remember what that place is like, Frankie. Howleen and I have been there a lot and even we can’t find our way around the place without Twyla’s help.” Clawdeen shook her head.

          “What about Twyla’s dad then?”

          “He’s hardly ever in town.” Howleen sighed. “Twyla has a special book to call him for emergencies but it’s in the Boogie-mansion too.”

          “There has to be some way to find Twyla.” Frankie frowned. “I wish this was easier.”

          “I wish…?” Howleen muttered for a moment. “Frankie, you’re a genius!” She exclaimed, handing Dustin back to Jane before running down the hall.

          “Thanks. Wait, what did I say?” Frankie called after her as the others gave chase. She followed suit. They all reached the creepateria just in time to see Howleen approach Gigi.

          “Gigi, I need you.” She sat down. “Twyla is missing, I need your help to find her.”

          “Twyla? What happened.”

          “Some mirror in the Boogie-mansion. We can’t find it on our own to go after her, but with you we might be able to wish ourselves to her.”

          “Howleen, I can only grant the simplest of wishes now. I might not be able to help you find her.”

          “We have to try! She’s my best friend, Gigi. Can’t you do something?”

          Gigi sighed and after a moment of consideration nodded. “Alright, I’ll help you. For Twyla’s case.”

          Howleen gave a sigh of relief. “Alright, I wish we were where Twyla was!”

          For a moment nothing happened, not even a blink of light despite Gigi looking to concentrate very hard. “I’m sorry, Howleen. Wherever Twyla is, I can’t reach her.”

          Howleen’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Then I have to go to Boogie-mansion.”

          Clawdeen put a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “You’re not going alone. Clawd and I are going with you.”

          “Wait, we are?” Clawd jolted.

          “Of course we are! No Wolf would let their sister go into that maze alone.”

          Howleen smiled, suddenly very thankful for the family she was blessed with. “Alright, but I’m leaving now. School or not, nothing is gonna matter until I’m sure Twyla’s safe.”


	4. Chapter 4

Twyla sat in front of a mirror, the one she came through, staring through it back at her father’s artifact room. Maybe if she just stalled he would realize she was missing. She generally called him every week on Friday but that was still days away. Maybe he would come home early? Yeah right. Fat chance of that happening.

She let out a heavy sigh, placing her hand against the cold glass. It wasn’t like the watery surface when she had been pulled through. She wondered if breaking it would reopen the portal, or just destroy it. Probably best not to test it.

“That’s not the mirror you need to focus on, my dear.” The Evil Queen told her.

“I’ve been waiting for you to tell me what to do. Until you do, I feel content here.” Twyla sighed as she stood and turned to look at her captor.

“Then follow me.” She motioned for her to follow. They passed mirror after mirror, not a single one showing their reflections, only windows into other worlds, some she had never even considered as possibilities. When they came to a stop it was in front of a mirror where a young girl, maybe a year or two older than Twyla with long black and purple hair and eyes the same shade of violet as Twyla’s, was fixing her hair.

“Who is-”

“My daughter, Raven. Who, unfortunately, has made her position on good and evil very clear. I’ve tried my hardest to steer her on her proper path but no matter. Once I’m released again, it won’t matter.”

“Again? You’ve gotten out of here before?” Twyla asked. “What makes you think this time will be different?”

“Because my dear, I have you. And your father will do just about anything for his little princess.” She smirked down at the young girl. “Now, then, all you need to do is let her know you’re here; and when she let’s you out of the mirror you will not mention me at all. I’ll be watching and if you do I’ll make sure your little friend doesn’t make it to the next full moon.”

“And what then? Me getting out doesn’t get you out too.” Twyla frowned, uncomfortable with what the Queen was planning. Especially since it involved her father somehow.

“With your powers over shadows, you’re going to steal into Headmaster Grimm’s office and past the hidden entrance that will lead you to my personal mirror. I will direct you from there.”

* * *

Raven frowned at her reflection, wondering if she could do anything new with her same old look. Last time she tried to curl it she ended up having to play Apple’s mirror for an entire week. She’d have to talk to Poppy later for some advice.

Raven was about to turn away from the mirror when her eye caught something in the mirror causing her to jump back in shock. A girl? She looked scared. If she was inside the mirror she had a reason to be. Raven hesitated for a second. This could be another trick from her mother. Or there could be an innocent girl trapped in the mirror. Both could be completely possible. She took a hesitant step closer, placing her hand on the cool glass of the mirror. “Can you hear me?”

The girl nodded.

“You have a name?”

Again the girl nodded and her mouth moved but Raven couldn’t hear a thing. Given that this wasn’t a magic mirror any communication would be strictly one way. “I’m going to go grab someone who can help. Ok?” She didn’t wait for the girl to nod before rushing out of her dorm room and across the campus to Headmaster Grimm’s office, throwing the door open without even knocking.

“Miss Queen!” Milton Grimm jumped in his desk chair. “Wha-

“Sorry Headmaster Grimm, but there was a girl in my mirror I don’t know who it was and it definitely wasn’t my mom.” Whether it was the tone of panic in her voice or just the mention of someone being captured by the Evil Queen, Milton Grimm jumped from his seat, and opened the hidden entrance that led to the Evil Queen’s mirror. Raven was close on his heels as they ascended the stairs, but hesitated at the door of the room for just a moment before following him in. And there she was. Her mother. Safely behind the mirror. So it wasn’t an illusion. 

“Oh, is it visiting day already?” Her mother smiled at her.

Milton Grimm was having none of it, straighting up to full height as he addressed her. “Who’s the girl in Raven’s mirror?”

“Girl? I’m sure I wouldn’t know. I’ve been here the entire time, as you’re well aware. If there’s a girl in the mirror realm she must have come from someplace else.” The Evil Queen shrugged casually and watched as Milton Grimm stormed from the room. “Be sure to visit soo, Birdie!” She waved at Raven as she quickly followed suit.

“Headmaster Grimm, if the girl isn’t my mother who is she?”

“There’s only one way to find out.” He didn’t slow down his pace until he reached Raven and Apple’s dorm room and waited for her to open the door. 

Raven was a bit surprised to see the girl hadn’t gone anywhere, still there, still looking rather scared. She was so focused on the girl she didn’t see what Milton Grimm had done, or heard what he said, but found that he was suddenly reaching into the glass of the mirror and took the girl’s hand, pulling her out. Raven just now realized the girl’s skin, a bluish grey except her hands and feet which were black as night. Was she a fairy like Faybelle? She didn’t have any wings though.

“What’s your name?” He asked sternly.

“Twyla.” She replied quickly, her voice shaking a touch.

“Your full name.” He instructed.

“Twyla Boogieman.”

That was the first time Raven heard Milton Grimm curse. “Boogieman?” Raven frowned, looking between the girl and Milton Grimm. “Like  _ the _ Boogieman?”

Twyla nodded. “He’s my father.”

“How did you end up in the mirror?”

She hesitated for just a moment, like she was trying to remember, or trying to create a clever lie. “I came home from school and heard singing. I followed it to a large mirror in my father’s artifact room and next thing I knew I was in a strange place full of mirrors that acted as windows. And now I’m here.”

Milton Grimm didn’t seem happy with her story at all. “How are you even here? Even through the mirrors you should have only been able to travel between the Monster World and as your people call it the  _ Normie _ World.”

“Is that not where I am?” Twyla asked.

“You’re in Ever After. Somewhere your father never wanted you to be.” Milton Grimm explained and watched as Twyla became genuinely shocked.

“You know my father?”


End file.
